Google's possible purchase of ITA Software Inc. may lead to an antitrust investigation

It's well understood thatGoogle is
the world's most popular search engine. The company runs over one million data
centers and servers around the world, and is well known by computer users of
all levels from beginners to professionals. But as of late, this success is
being viewed as internet dominance by both the Federal Trade Commission and the
Justice Department.

Google is
an American multinational public corporation that runs the world's most
successful search engine, and also owns theAndroid
operating system. The company is also involved in cloud computing and
advertising technologies. It was incorporated as a privately held company in
1998, with its initial public offering in 2004. The company has grown
tremendously over the years, and now processes over one billion search requests
per day.

Now,
Google is looking to expand its presence even more by purchasing ITA Software Inc.,
which is an airline ticketing software company. This transaction will cost
Google $700 million if it decides to go through with the purchase.

But this
purchase could cost Google more than just the $700 million. According to recent
reports, the FTC is looking to launch an antitrust investigation of
Google's internet dominance, but the investigation will be pursued only if the
Justice Department decides whether it will challenge the ITA Software
purchase.

The FTC
and the Justice Department are not the only agencies looking into Google's web
dominance. Last November, theEuropean Commission launched a
similar investigation, and last week, Microsoft filed a complaint with European
antitrust regulators because ofGoogle's
growingpresence
and power over web search competition.

According
to Bloomberg, the Justice Department
is expected to announce its decision soon, but there is no set time or date at
this point.